“God of Grace and God of Glory”: “Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour.”
George W. Bush remembered this hymn as he sat alone in the presidential cabin of Air Force One on the morning of September 11, 2001. His emotions ran rampant, and his blood boiled. He didn’t know where to start, but he knew what he had to do.
“In a single morning, the purpose of my presidency had grown clear: to protect our people and defend our freedom that had come under attack.
“The first plane could have been an accident. The second was definitely an attack. The third was a declaration of war,” Bush thought to himself as his staff relayed information to him.
It happened as it should have, as Bush told himself it should have. The American people didn’t have to call for it to be done. American soil had been unearthed for the first time in a long time. The last attack on the United States was Pearl Harbor, and before that, during the War of 1812.
Fast-forward to the now.
Today marks the 12-year anniversary of a catastrophe that will live with the American people forever.
Everyone has a story. Just ask, and someone will tell you.
Right now, the 9/11 anniversary comes at a time of national criticism. Republicans and the American people continue to pressure President Obama about his actions with Syria and his handling of the Benghazi attacks.
The timing is off, but it couldn’t have come at a better time.
A day such as this carries a weight unlike any other. It may not be enough to be the tipping point, but it will be a grounding experience.
President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and his wife Jill participate in a moment of silence on the South Lawn of the White House during a 9/11 ceremony. Photo by Getty Images.
President Obama paid tribute today with a moment of silence and a 9/11 memorial service at the Pentagon.
“Our hearts still ache for the futures snatched away, the lives that might have been,” Obama said during the ceremony.
The band Rascal Flatts has a song entitled “Come Wake Me Up.” One of the verses in the song goes like this: “Tonight your memory burns like a fire.”
The 2,997 that lost their lives will burn in all of us tonight. We all have a commonality as Americans. Let us stand united as a nation that has shown the inability to walk in the same direction. It is time to wake up.
The attacks on 9/11 shouldn’t just go down as heart-felt memories and words on a page in a history book. They should remind the American people that we are not our own enemies. This is something we shouldn’t take with a grain of salt.
“Let us have the courage like the survivors and families here today to carry on, no matter how dark the night or how difficult the day.”
Take these words from President Obama and remember that trying times calls for an army of one, not many. Our nation seems to be crumbling under itself. As Obama charged, let this fateful day ground us.
Because enough was unearthed 12 years ago.
Western Carolina and the Young America’s Foundation will honor those that last their lives and all that were affected on September 11, 2001 by holding 9/11 Never Forget Project. 2,977 American Flags, each representing a victim of the attack, will be placed in the lawn next to the Blue Ridge Residence Hall.
